SPL chief executive, Neil Doncaster, has until this week insisted that the inquiry he instructed Harper MacLeod to conduct had yet to establish if there was prima facie evidence that Rangers had, in flagrant abuse of league and SFA rules, operated a dual contract system for over a decade.
BBC Scotland’s documentary, Rangers – The men who sold the jerseys, established that at least 38 Rangers players had written agreements to pay them money in connection to playing football and that none of these agreements were registered with the SFA and SPL.
We have gone several stages beyond prima facie. Harper MacLeod can stand down, their inquiry is moot.
Fifa rules dictate that all national associations to hold records of player contracts in order that they can ensure rules are followed and a level playing field is established. These rules are reflected in the player registration process of the Scottish FA and the Scottish Premier League rules.
While every other club in the country was paying tax on player wages, Rangers were able to recruit more and better players for the same amount of money as Employee Benefit Trusts were not taxed. This enabled them to put better teams on the field, win games and win trophies, while their opponents played by the rules and on five occasions lost league titles narrowly.
Rangers told Ronald Waterus’ agent, in correspondence seen by the BBC, was told, using the trust was “in the interests of Ronald as it enables him to receive funds tax-free.
“I can confirm that we will not pay these amounts to [Ronald] unless they are made through the use of the remuneration trust.”
Our game has been rigged since at least 2000. The level playing field some of us were naive enough to believe existed was a mirage. The reach of this practice at Rangers is staggering. 72 staff in total, including seven former directors, one of whom remains president of the SFA.
For corrupting Scottish football on this scale, there can only be one punishment.
The documentary was a triumph of investigative journalism by Mark Daly, Martin Conaghan and the team, who were drawn from news and sport. The BBC is in a class of its own when it comes to complex projects like this. It is incredible that they managed to acquire side letters for 38 players. Perhaps a full investigation by the authorities will reveal more evidence.
You can buy a hard copy of the new issue of CQN Magazine via Magcloud here.
The graphic below is just for a flick through, to read the magazine go here to it’s dedicated site.
167 Comments- Pages:
- «
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- »
Bada Bing
Craigy Whyte played them all!
Many happy returns to excellent CQNer Voguepunter.
VP gets to blow out his candles with the fragrant Kristin Scott Thomas, country music royalty Roseanne Sash , and err…Damarcus Beasley.
Bada bing as agent Green is Nanny McPhee only Robin Williams can play this part : )
Guys,
what about this idea of getting Paul67 & family (including Martin42) a wee package holiday for all the families sacrifices have made for us and some spending money. As a thank you for the pure unadulterated pleasure the man and his family give us ?
I am not willing to organise it myself as it would be better if it was someone local.
Anyways anybody who is willing to run with this idea drop me an email.
I´ll contribute for sure
HAil Hail
Hand over the trophies cheating huns.
Time spent on —–
The Telegraph —— nothing .
The Times ——nothing .
The Guardian —- nothing .
Italian football media —–nothing ..
Big story for the Italian media is Manchester City ” losing ” £ 197 million pounds and seemingly being set to spend @ £ 100 million on players currently playing in Serie A . Relevant journos can’t avoid mentioning the words —- Platini / UEFA / Financial Fair Play / smoke and mirrors.
Lovely cartoon featuring a conversation between The Udinese Manager and one of Udinese’s many scouts –
” Are you sure he will be good enough to sign for Manchester City / Chelsea or PSG in 2 years time ? “
Great work Paul67. If Donkey does not act today and tries to put off anything other than the right decision i.e. expulsion from Scottish football, then he must be sacked. Pure and simple. Penalties no longer apply IMO.
Ogilvie has no morals/scruples (a doubt or hesitation that troubles the conscience or that comes from the difficulty of determining whether something is right) and will also have to be pushed.
DAY/NIGHT OF THE LONG KNIVES IS UPON US! WE NEED ACTION!!!!!!!!
Paul,
You’ve been especially brilliant these past few days.
Seriously well-written and informative.
Great stuff.
Bada Bing -Jo Lumley as herself. Good to kno that the lovely Jo sourned wee David Murray, but famously was happy to let ole Rod Stewart keep her amused.
DBBIA/ Ayo Gurkhali! CSC
ps don’t forget Prince Albert…
Roseanns Sash ! WTF! Nae drink for ole Dont’y the day.
DBBIA
Ta, KST I knew about ,dodgy surname singer ,no idea,Be Dearsley?who he?
Roseanns Sash!WTF! Nae drink for ole Dont’y tomorro as well.
Craiginho:
Which team Rangers cheated in the final is academic, every team that Rangers cheated on route to the final have an equal claim to the prize on any given tainted year. (unlike the league)
When the dust settles all those clubs should be invited to take part in a competition (a competition for each compromised/tainted year) with the winner getting their name on that particular trophy for that year.
It would sure help out a few teams who could do with the extra cash.
RM:
“How sweet would it be……
If we won the big tax case?
They would have to close all the bridges in Scotlans
———-
SDM has consistently said the club are (via lawyers advice) in a favourable position so i hope it pans out that way.. ”
———-
Don’t worry, yeez’ll skoosh it.
Mark Daly looked terrified last night in that interview with Baxi the Skuzz Tycoon & debarred lawyer…whit a pad: cream coloured chaise lounge, marble verandah, French sash windows…those aspirin white teeth, the quaff sheen, the fishtail pipe…loved his cameo role & those sublime one liners:
“Pornography doesn’t make you blind…the misuse of EBT’s does.”
“…you can’t blame the builder of the bus if you use the bus to run over an old lady.”
“…it’s only a problem if HMRC wins…if they don’t then Rangers will be saying ‘Paul your a hero’.”
I’m beginning to think this whole Rankers fiasco is some elaborately staged Performance Art piece…a Turner Prize in the offing?
A quite superb documentary from Mark Daly and the team at BBC Scotland last night. One of, if not the best, current affairs documentaries I have ever seen from Scotland.
This was evidence-based journalism which steered a straight course for the heart of the matter. There was litle conjecture or reliance on “experts” to interpret scraps of information. The forensic accountant was particularly compelling – unflashy, straightforward and detached.
As for the reaction from Duff and Phelps – well, it’s the same ole’ smoke and mirrors routine. Make a loud noise and hope you can distract everyone from what is really going on. I am sure the BBC will await the arrival of a summons for defamation with some relish. Are Duff and Phelps really going to suggest that it was perfectly acceptable for one of their own directors to arrange the finance for the purchase of Rangers when it was obvious D &P stood to gain considerably from the company’s collapse? Can they really be suggesting that this is not a conflict of interest? This part of the tale had tremendous impact given that it appeared right at the end of the programme. For court appointed adminstrators to refuse to be interviewed on camera is a clear sign that they are not confident of their role. However, it is almost certainly too late for their removal to make any real difference to the outcome. They have had their feet under the table for over a year and will have everything set up just the way they want it.
Special mention also for Ian Fraser. It was a smart move to have someone with a financial perspective to give his views on the situation. It always helps your case if you have truly independent experts on your side.
And Charles Green? After the bombast in his tabloid interviews last week, it all seems to have gone a wee bit quiet on the CVA front. Surely he’s not getting cold feet at this very late stage?
All in all, as good a dissection of the death of a football club you will see.
Dress up a monkey in Armani,
He may seem precocious and cute.
Despite all that primpin’,
You still got a chimp in a suit.
Teach him the second
Verse of “Swanee”
And most of “Moon River” to boot.
Sure peopl will gape
But you still got an ape
in a suit.
Shprizt him ’til wet
With the Eau de Toilette
And you’re still gonna get
A stench.
Dampen him well
In a quart of Chanel,
It won’t cover the smell-
I should know, I’m French!
Take him to see Don Giovanni,
Show him Cezanne’s lovely fruit,
Teach him to cook
>From Escoffier’s book,
He’s still a gorrila en croute-
You still got a chimp in a suit.
So you’ve shaved off his fur,
Decked him out in couture
And endowed him with pure
Savior Fare-
You dressed him up fancy
And trained him to dance, he
Remains a chimpan-cee,
He’s not Fred Astaire!
Give him a dandy little topper,
Tie on a natty cravat
Buy him a castle,
He’ll still be an asshole
And nothing you do will change
that-
He’s still just a stinky little minkey
In a dinky little suit
And a cheap little hat!
Paul67 – does this mean I was right to be paranoid all these years ??
More importantly can I now stop being paranoid ?
Brilliant work on the blog – on another note a wee (well big, huge) thank you to Mrs Paul67 for her cooperation in allowing you the time to keep up the good work
67ECW
Every day I get in the queue (Too much, the Magic Bus)
To get on the bus that takes me to you (Too much, the Magic Bus)
I’m so nervous, I just sit and smile (Too much, the Magic Bus)
Your house is only another mile (Too much, the Magic Bus)
Thank you, driver, for getting me here (Too much, the Magic Bus)
You’ll be an inspector, have no fear (Too much, the Magic Bus)
I don’t want to cause no fuss (Too much, the Magic Bus)
But can I buy your Magic Bus? (Too much, the Magic Bus)
Nooooooooo!
I don’t care how much I pay (Too much, the Magic Bus)
I wanna drive my bus to my baby each day (Too much, the Magic Bus)
*[Magic Bus, Magic Bus, Magic Bus
Magic Bus, Magic Bus, Magic Bus
Give me a hundred (Magic Bus)
I won’t take under (Magic Bus)
Goes like thunder (Magic Bus)
It’s a four-stage wonder (Magic Bus)
Magic Bus, Magic Bus, Magic Bus, Magic Bus
I want it, I want it, I want it…(You can’t have it!)
Think how much you’ll save…(You can’t have it!)]
I want it, I want it, I want it, I want it … (You can’t have it!)
Thruppence and sixpence every day
Just to drive to my baby
Thruppence and sixpence each day
‘Cause I drive my baby every way
Magic Bus, Magic Bus, Magic Bus, Magic Bus, Magic Bus…
I want the Magic Bus, I want the Magic Bus, I want the Magic Bus…
I said, now I’ve got my Magic Bus (Too much, the Magic Bus)
I said, now I’ve got my Magic Bus (Too much, the Magic Bus)
I drive my baby every way (Too much, the Magic Bus)
Each time I go a different way (Too much, the Magic Bus)
I want it, i want it, I want it, I want it …
Every day you’ll see the dust (Too much, the Magic Bus)
As I drive my baby in my Magic Bus (Too much, the Magic Bus)
I’ve no idea how things work but I’m surprised the court who appointed D&D or HMRC have yet to start proceedings to remove them? I would have thought this would have happened first thing this morning?
Also the EBT list, it’s the names that are missing I find most interesting. Sir Schmidt and FPLG. Surely they had to have been paid in the same manner?
Paul do you know if they will also be exposed?
Surely it is time for the summer 2012 version of Len’s List!
67ECW -you weren’t paranoid, just blessed with a keen sense of smell.
In Italy for many years it was thought that the game was rigged in favour of Juve. Anyone who complained about it was told they were being paranoid, until someone had the courage to look at it and hey, the game WAS rigged in favour of Juve.
Paul67,RTC and Phil have been magnificent…all over those cheating varmits like a rash.
It is now time for the club to make a stand,to take back all those trophies that we are now due…pursue the degenerate liars through the courts if that’s what it takes.
Hand them over Ranges.
As for Paul Baxendale-Walker, he serves as a warning to us all.
And kids, just remember. Too much sucking on your Meerschaum and you could end up looking like him as well.
Paul
Splendid work by you… also by Mark Daly… Alex Thomson… RTC… Paul McC… Phil… and probably plenty of other folk I’ve missed…
And so much more to come!
I’d be interested to know if Michael Johnston still thinks that the huns are vital to Scottish football. Could even he make a case now?
The Souness payment opens another another stream. I think I would not be happy in Blackburn if that was found to be a bung to inflate the Tugay transfer.
I think wee Sammy was on the Advocaat during the EBT years…
stephenpollock
a bung to smooth it over !!!!
Hail Hail
Paul67
Mark Daly, Martin Conaghan….what is in a name?
You have just ensured that they are on the banned list of FF.
I am sure they smell a Timmy conspiracy…….
I was almost crying into my popcorn last night.
A Rangers supporting colleague/friend of mine was deflectiung blame to old Mr Duff and Mr Phelps until I said but when the dust is settled Celtic will be on 12 in a row when you are stripped of your tainted titles!
Old four stars nearly started crying.
Regan now under severe pressure re Ogilvie-The President of the SFA has taken a tax free bung of £95,000? Or just enough for a “good night out” according to Chick Hun.
Paul67 or anyone else who might know,
was there a reason why we didn’t get to see the side letters that the BBC claimed were in place. I thought this ws the real smoking gun that would have proved everything beyond doubt.
For what its worth I believe if Rankers are stripped of their titles and cups won during the EBT period that Celtic should refuse to have titles allocated to them. Instead each year and tile should remain blank.
The story of the blues – The Mighty Wah
At least 12 league titles that now rightfully belong to Celtic Football Club,not to mention at least half a dozen cups.Also the £million in European money that they defrauded our club out of.
I would seize asbestos stadium and moonbeam park,sell those two rat ships,and take the money.That would cover a wee bit of the money the club is owed,at least.
Cheats,thieves and liars.
The ole porn star with his pipe could be Donald Findlay’s long lost son.
Working in the porn industry you come across [!] a better class of person than DF usually defends.
Happy birthday to VOGUE PUNTER.
Sorry,too late-the boozer’s open……..
20 trophies and at least £100million they owe our club.
Ni on 24 May, 2012 at 11:29 said:
I also like the idea of blank titles. The shame of the corruption will be forever more apparent.
I don’t think we can be too hard on Dungcaster for his inability to see the Prima Facie case against the huns: he does wear glasses after all.